A nicotine-free pouch is exactly what it sounds like: the same small white pouch you would recognise from a Zyn or Velo tin, with the nicotine left out. That is the whole idea. What is less obvious is what goes in instead, who buys them, and how kip is described and sold. Here is the plain version.
What is a nicotine-free pouch?
Start with the nicotine pouch, because the format is borrowed from it. Velo's own description of what its pouches contain is short: "water, plant-based materials, flavourings, sweeteners, nicotine." The pouch itself is a small fabric sachet. You place it between your upper lip and gum, or to the side of your lower lip, and leave it there. Velo and Nordic Spirit both say up to 30 minutes.
Take the nicotine out of that list and you have a common base used in nicotine-free pouches: plant fibre, flavouring, a sweetener, and water. kip contains no tobacco. Nicotine pouches are not snus, which contains tobacco; they are a newer, tobacco-free format that arrived in the 2010s.
What is in them instead of nicotine?
The category splits three ways, and the tin does not always make it obvious which one you are holding.
- Flavour-only pouches. Plant fibre, flavour, sweetener and nothing active. Zeronito is the best-known UK example, and its retail listings say no caffeine.
- Caffeine pouches. The same base with caffeine added. As listed by UK retailers in September 2026, XQS runs at 50mg a pouch, Hicaff at 50 to 100mg, LEWA at 20 to 50mg. For scale, a typical cup of instant coffee is often quoted at around 60 to 80mg, though it varies a lot.
- Pouches with botanicals or vitamins. The base plus named plant extracts, amino acids or vitamins. kip is in this group. Some brands in it print every dose; some list a "blend" and leave you to guess.
None of the three contains nicotine. They are not interchangeable with each other, though, and the label is the only way to tell them apart.
Who actually uses them?
Nicotine pouches first. ASH's 2026 survey, run by YouGov, puts adult use at around 1.4%, with 6.6% having tried one. Among 18 to 34 year olds, use has risen to 3.0%. Nobody publishes numbers for the nicotine-free side yet, so we can only tell you who writes to us. It is three groups.
The biggest is existing pouch users who want a 0mg option for part of the day, almost always the last one at night. They are not quitting. They are swapping one pouch. The second group has stopped using nicotine and misses the format more than the nicotine. The third never used nicotine at all and simply likes having something to do with the end of the day. That third group surprised us.
How kip is described and sold
kip sells nicotine-free, tobacco-free food supplement pouches for adults 18 and over. We do not sell nicotine or tobacco products. A pouch format alone does not tell you its ingredients or product classification: read the individual label.
Food supplements have labelling and marketing requirements. We list the amounts of our five featured ingredients and use the authorised vitamin B6 claims shown below. We make no claims that kip treats a condition or helps someone stop using nicotine.
What to check on the tin
Five things, and the first is the one that separates the good tins from the vague ones.
- Is every dose printed, per pouch? If it says "proprietary blend" or lists ingredients with no amounts, you do not know what you are buying.
- Does it say 0mg nicotine, in writing? "Nicotine-free" on the front is fine, but a printed figure is better.
- Does it say what is not in it? No nicotine, no tobacco, and, if it matters to you, no caffeine, no sugar, no melatonin. Melatonin is prescription-only in the UK, so a UK-made supplement will not contain it; imports might.
- Where is it made? A named country of manufacture and a UK address for the seller.
- How long to keep it in, and what to do after. The honest answer for any pouch is a set time, then the bin. If the tin does not say, ask.
Where kip fits
kip is a nicotine-free pouch in the third group. Same format, made in a UK factory, Quiet Mint, 20 pouches to a tin. Per pouch it contains:
- L-theanine, 100mg. An amino acid found in tea leaves.
- Chamomile extract, 60mg, standardised to 1.2% apigenin.
- Lemon balm extract 10:1, 40mg.
- Magnesium bisglycinate, 20mg. Listed as an ingredient; no claim is made for it.
- Vitamin B6, 0.7mg, which is 50% of the nutrient reference value. Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal psychological function.*
0mg nicotine, 0mg melatonin, no caffeine, no sugar. One pouch, 30 to 45 minutes, then bin it. The full label is on the product page. If you want to see it next to the nicotine brands on strength, count and price, read Zyn vs Velo vs Nordic Spirit. If the melatonin line raised a question, this post answers it.
Sources
- VELO, "How are nicotine pouches made?", velo.com.
- Nordic Spirit FAQ, nordicspirit.co.uk.
- ASH, "Nicotine pouches" key topic page, including the 2026 ASH/YouGov survey figures and the Tobacco and Vapes Act dates.
- Haypp UK nicotine-free pouch category listings for caffeine figures.
All read on 11 September 2026. Retail listings change; if a figure has moved, email hello@haveakip.com and we will correct it.
*GB authorised health claim. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. kip is for adults 18 and over. Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding without medical advice.
